King's Lynn and West Norfolk

King's Lynn and West Norfolk's population expanded in the 10 years leading up to 2011. At the same time there were changes in marriage, religion and ethnicity.

The population reached nearly 150,000

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of King's Lynn and West Norfolk increased by 8.9%, from about 135,000 to 147,000.

The addition of about 12,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, King's Lynn and West Norfolk was home to, on average, 0.74 people per football pitch-sized piece of land. This made it Eastof England's second-least densely-populated district.

Population density was lower than the average across Eastof England

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Eastof England, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of King's Lynn and West Norfolk increased by two years, from 43 to 45 years.

This remote area had a higher average age than Eastof England and remained older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 4,800 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 3,000.

About 14% of people in King's Lynn and West Norfolk are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and King's Lynn and West Norfolk by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in King's Lynn and West Norfolk

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in King's Lynn and West Norfolk at a faster rate than across Eastof England.

In King's Lynn and West Norfolk, the proportion of single people increased from 22% in 2001 to 27% in 2011. During the same period, the regional proportion increased from 27% to 31%.

Across Eastof England, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 27% to 31%.

The proportion of married people in King's Lynn and West Norfolk fell from 58% to 53%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 10% to 12%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in King's Lynn and West Norfolk, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.8% to 11% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over one in four (27%) households had only one person, compared with 28% in 2001. The percentage of households in King's Lynn and West Norfolk which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 39% to 35%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased faster here than in any other local authority district across Eastof England. The improvement brought health in King's Lynn and West Norfolk close to the national average 9.9% in England described their health as good in 2011).

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in King's Lynn and West Norfolk increased by 2.8 percentage points

Percentage of households in King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Eastof England and England that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

King's Lynn and West Norfolk saw Eastof England's joint largest rise in the proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care, alongside Tendring.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.3%) in King's Lynn and West Norfolk reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 2.5% in 2001. The percentage that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.1% to 1.5%.

Every local authority area across Eastof England saw a rise in the proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care, as the regional average grew from 1.8% to 2.2%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in King's Lynn and West Norfolk remained close to 3.3%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and King's Lynn and West Norfolk by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in considerably limiting disability

The percentage of King's Lynn and West Norfolk residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.6% to 4.8% between the last two censuses.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 7.1%, while the percentage of King's Lynn and West Norfolk residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 89% to 88%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 2.7% in 2001 to 3.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability in King's Lynn and West Norfolk increased by 1.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Eastof England and England that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Census 2011 asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, 25% said they had no religion. The figure increased from 25% in 2001

The number of people in King's Lynn and West Norfolk that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 18,000 in 2001 to about 37,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 13% to 25% of those who chose to disclose information about their religious affiliation.

The percentage increased by more than the average across Eastof England (from 17% to 28%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in King's Lynn and West Norfolk that described themselves as Christian decreased from about 110,000 in 2001 to just under 98,000 in 2011 (from 78% to 66%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation remained close to 11,000 (7.4%)

Just under 570 people (0.2%) said they identified with a religion other than Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism or Sikhism, up from just over 320 in 2001 (0.4%).

The population without a religion in King's Lynn and West Norfolk increased by 12 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and King's Lynn and West Norfolk by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Census 2011 asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, 97% said they were from the White ethnic groups. The figure increased from 97% in 2001

The number of people in King's Lynn and West Norfolk from the White ethnic groups increased from just over 130,000 in 2001 to just over 140,000 in 2011. However, as a percentage of the local population, this represented a decrease from 99% to 97%.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across Eastof England (from 95% to 90%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in King's Lynn and West Norfolk from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from about 660 in 2001 to just under 1,900 in 2011 (from 0.5% to 1.3%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from about 690 to just under 1,400 (from 0.5% to 0.9%).

Just over 560 people (0.2%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from about 270 in 2001 (0.4%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in King's Lynn and West Norfolk decreased by 1.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and King's Lynn and West Norfolk by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in King's Lynn and West Norfolk, but at a slower rate than across England.

In King's Lynn and West Norfolk, the proportion of private renting increased from 10.0% in 2001 to 15% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion across England increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Across Eastof England, the share of privately rented homes increased from 8.6% to 15%.

The rate of social housing in King's Lynn and West Norfolk fell from 15% to 13%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 71% to 69%.

Private renting in King's Lynn and West Norfolk increased by 4.8 percentage points

Percentage of households in King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Eastof England and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in King's Lynn and West Norfolk working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 16% to 12% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.8%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.8% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 15% in 2001 to 11% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in King's Lynn and West Norfolk decreased by 4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Eastof England and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of King's Lynn and West Norfolk residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 9.6% to 6.1% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (78%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 65% in 2001. The percentage of King's Lynn and West Norfolk residents that described their health as fair decreased from 25% to 16%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 7.6% in 2001 to 4.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in King's Lynn and West Norfolk decreased by 3.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Eastof England and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of King's Lynn and West Norfolk residents that were unemployed increased from 2.6% to 3.7% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over one in two (51%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 50% in 2001. The percentage of King's Lynn and West Norfolk residents that were self-employed increased from 9.7% to 10%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 2.6% in 2001 to 3.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in King's Lynn and West Norfolk increased by 1.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in King's Lynn and West Norfolk, Eastof England and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households without children changed very little in King's Lynn and West Norfolk, while the proportion increased in Wyre Forest (one of the most statistically similar areas to King's Lynn and West Norfolk based on ONS area classifications).

In King's Lynn and West Norfolk, the proportion of households without children stayed close to 66% between the last two censuses. During the same period, the proportion in statistically similar Wyre Forest increased from 60% to 64%.

Across Eastof England, the share of households without children decreased from 61% to 61%.

The proportion of households with children in King's Lynn and West Norfolk fell from 26% to 25%, while the proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents increased from 8.6% to 9.0%.

The proportion of households without children was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

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